


[IGNITE] and [WITHER]

by bowtiesnrocksalt



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Burnie is zeus but less of an ass, Freewood - Freeform, Gavin's the god of life, Gay gods, Help, Hooo my god, LMAO, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, So Ryan's the god of death, god AU, idk - Freeform, why god why me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-06
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 05:18:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4088389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bowtiesnrocksalt/pseuds/bowtiesnrocksalt
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>And it was often that he’d stare, seeing as they were always so near each other in spite of their opposing forces. Gavin would float by in bouts of passion and light, exclaiming out loud and connecting perfectly with the other Gods, whether it be love, harvest, even hate. Ryan often was the one to remain in the corners of whatever marble-built room they took up celebration in, his purpose fueled only by the presence of Gavin. </p><p>And today was no excuse.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. and the sunlight, the stars

**Author's Note:**

> I would have put this in the drabble fic-thingy but it's really not one. It's most likely to be a chapter thing, not to mention it's a God!AU. I woulda renamed them all to more... regal-ish sorta names, but I decided not to. It'd be easier this way, I guess. Anyway.. Freewood!

He only saw Gavin in beds of flowers, surrounded in a myriad of roses, violets, gardenias, all flowers imaginable. The colors melted into a blur along with his tan, exposed skin- blending into a masterpiece that should have never been simply made, but created. The songs he’d sing, his voice a whole other condensed collection of stars pouring past his lips, his hands delving into pastel-colored, petal-shaped lacquer. The golden melting sun casting bright shadows onto his skin, falling over the gentle curve of his wings that were laced with rose vines and flooded with stars. They were a distant blue but all the same a deep, bruised purple, the colors shifting and changing with every passing, overwhelming emotion that the God dared to feel. Even in those simple bouts of euphoria or anger the God still laced it into a labyrinth of complexity, twisting his hands into the bed of petals and lighting his fingertips on fire, constantly reaching out with scarlet and gold glimmering upon his wrists. 

He was life in its rawest form, built simply to exude vibrancy and aliveness in every way possible, with every shape and line his body could create. 

And what was Ryan? 

What was he besides flushed darkness, swelling and hardening into a deep red core? He had nothing beautiful or whimsical to his name, nothing poetic in his darkness or sorrow, like the humans so often wrote about. He wore wreaths of charred roses, his eyes never finding a light within himself to guide whatever sort of creature of hell he was- a commander of the absence of life. Wings the color of ink over a pale canvas, flooding perpetually in a rage to taint that he couldn’t command- everything swaying desperately about him as a result. 

He was death, simply and in no way condensed, in NO way caged or leashed. In only the sense that he couldn’t bear light was he jailed, and for that one restriction he loathed himself, his deep blue gaze constantly and hungrily searching for the sight of life- Gavin. 

Ryan would always be breathless, looking at him, even when he knew that he had no need for air. 

And it was often, that he’d stare, seeing as they were always so near each other in spite of their opposing forces. Gavin would float by in bouts of passion and light, exclaiming out loud and connecting perfectly with the other Gods, whether it be love, harvest, even hate. Ryan often was the one to remain in the corners of whatever marble-built room they took up celebration in, his purpose fueled only by the presence of Gavin. 

And today was no excuse. 

Upon the high ceiling were a display of bright constellations swirling around, their personifications made out of simple dots of light as they travelled across the room, sometimes dipping down in a search to draw out calls of delight from the Gods below them. Crystal chandeliers hung down low and fruitful from the ceiling as well, decorated in gems that no mortal would dare to lay eyes upon, shades of all kinds melting across the seemingly endless rows of marble pillars. The floor beneath the cluster of immortals was a mixture of midnight blue and rich, glimmering golds though the room somehow maintained a darkened atmosphere, the only light borne of the few torches set about the pillars. Across the room were clusters of Gods, all of them dressed in lavish fabrics whether sacrificed or made, though the amount of compliments that each outfit got was dependent on where it was from. If it was made it was called upon, though usually with not much attentiveness. If it was sacrificed, however, everyone’s eyes were immediately drawn to it- even if it was the lowest of woven silks that they were clad in. Ryan himself, set back in the mouth of two broad pillars, wore charred black silks and cottons, golden clasps with his emblem of a flame decorating his shoulders and one upon his left hip. His wreath of ebony roses was about the crown of his head and his wings were curved cautiously, his overall presence almost blending in with the deep shadows cast about the pillars. No other Gods had made the move to talk to him, the being of hate looking his way in an act of consideration before another caught his attention, but it was something that Ryan had no problem forgetting. His thoughts were elsewhere, caught up both in the pressures of perhaps being social and the sight of Gavin, who had barely arrived. With flushed cheeks and a sheepish smile the other God had came flouncing in, arms stretched wide and his lips already asking for forgiveness for his tardiness. Unlike Ryan he was dressed in beautiful clothing, his style something that the Gods easily appreciated. Among his carefully woven and folded layers of peacock and ocean blue silk there were scraps of blue and gold cotton sacrificed to him- a mixture of prestige and worship that no God could deny the beauty and thought of. Upon the silver clasp on his hip was a fan of peacock feathers, brushing by the exposed flesh of his leg that was made vulnerable by the clasp itself holding up the layers of fabric that only brushed over his knees. Upon his head was no wreath, instead arrays of feathers and drops of glimmering stars tied into his messy hair, complimenting the light smear of golden shadow near the edges of his beautiful blue eyes. His wings flexed and arched towards the cluster of Gods flurrying about him, high, pleased voices noting at his beauty. 

And by the Heavens, did Ryan want to tell him that, too. 

In fact he wanted to pull Gavin away from it all, keep the contained wildfire of a man at bay by the shadows of the pillars, kiss away every feather and drop of star that flurried amongst his crown. He wanted so desperately to run his hands through his lively blue feathers, glide along the myriad of blues and faint tints of golds. To drown beneath the tides of furious yet gentle waves and inhale every gasp and silent sound that Gavin dared to make- the sound of the pearl arc of waves and the wind curling in with the flushed, cream-colored clouds. 

But he couldn’t, could he? 

No, no. 

No. 

Never. 

Ryan repeated this to himself throughout the entirety of the evening, trying his best not to stare or even edge from his place at the lip of the pillars in fear that he’d become too obvious, too ‘out there’. But as the night nearly drew to a close people began to flood from the ball, laughing jovially with their glowing skin and stolen drinks in hand. Ryan let out the smallest of sighs before he flexed his wings, moving from the pillars finally and hoping to make his way out of the room before he felt too exposed, too vulnerable. But just as he made it halfway to the large doorway a voice broke out from behind him. 

“Ryan! R-Ryan, stop for a minute!” He recognized the voice, seeing as it was often mixing in with Gavin’s words in a form of usually lighthearted conversation. Turning around confirmed his assumption, the God of Harvest, Jack, standing before him. Jack was an effortlessly likable God, his bright, cheery persona and easy smile always something that lured others in. He usually dressed in light greens or golds depending on the season, his wings a dazzling burnt umber that never failed to catch one’s eye. Ryan would have considered ignoring the call if it hadn’t been Jack, seeing as the God did make an effort to include him on things that the Gods did collectively. 

“Uh, yeah? What do you need, Jack?” Ryan replied, trying to keep his tone casual as the Harvest God began to bounce on his toes- an act of habit that Ryan just then noticed. 

“Well, you see, Burnie would like to see you. And Gavin. Out on the balcony, I think. Yeah.” Jack explained, throwing a look over his shoulder to the direction of the entrance of the balcony that was shielded by airy, sheer fabrics. Ryan’s muscles immediately coiled beneath his skin, his mind working hard to both process the situation and keep his cool. What would Burnie want with the Gods of Life and Death? Together? More importantly -or more selfishly- would he have to talk to Gavin? Meet him? What would it really be like, having Gavin’s ever-fading attention on him, even if for one second? Probably like the birth of a star, if he had to guess, even though in his line of purpose he’s only seen the death of them. 

“Oh, I- are you sure?” He asked, clenching his hands into fists at Jack’s fervent nod. “Well, thank you for telling me, Jack. Stay well.” He dipped his head in respect, the other God doing the same and lightly brushing his wing by Ryan’s in an act of friendliness as he passed to go his separate way. With a deep breath in Ryan began to stride towards the balcony, his eyes finding the creases in the gentle fabric as it swayed in the wind. As he got closer he recognized what it was made of- star stuff, really, the woven pieces much heavier than they looked. Not to mention the strings of diamonds and gold pieces that strung about the folds of fabric as well. Ryan stopped before the entrance, though, biting his lip in consideration of the events that lay before him. Uneasiness still swam low in his core as he pushed through the soft curtains, his eyes finding the backs of two figures that were overbeared by the display of close planets painting over the purple and gold sky. Suddenly an abrupt laugh broke the silence, one of the figures turning to face him, Ryan recognizing him immediately as Burnie- the King of Gods who wore nothing but a pleased, even welcoming smile. 

“Please, Ryan. Join us. We’ve a lot to discuss.”


	2. no crowns

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> d'um... i dunno. here's this. not heavily edited, unfortunately, but yeah...??? also so many lana del rey songs can go with freewood jeSUS also if there's any confusion about it Burnie does refer to Ryan and Gavin [and pretty much all of the other gods] as 'my Stars'. Little fun fact that the two stars that represent Ryan and Gavin are locked in a binary star system, though it's not as violent.

Ryan’s pace faltered as he nodded- the movement a barely registered jerk of his head before his eyes were immediately drawn to the figure standing beside Burnie. It was Gavin, in all of his untamed glory, who turned in interest at Burnie’s welcome, his smothering gaze finding Ryan’s. The air that he didn’t know he needed -KNEW he didn’t need- halted beneath his ribs, his eyes scanning over the image of Gavin. He was still dressed the same, looked the same, but at the same time he looked so… different. The sheen of melted gold falling from the swelling sky ignited the droplets of stars that pearled upon his hair, making him impossibly bright and breathtaking. Ryan tried his best to regain himself, eyes flickering away as he licked his lips due to spiking nerves, though he didn’t miss the way Gavin’s eyes tracked the movement. With burning cheeks that he hoped went unnoticed by the other two Gods he stepped forward and bowed his head to Burnie in respect, the other doing the same before he turned to Gavin, quickly nodding and his gaze barely taking the time to decipher the suddenly euphoric glaze upon the other God’s eyes. His hands came up to grip at the cool marble railing as he stood between Gavin and Burnie, doing his best to keep his focus upon the King in spite of the faint brush of Gavin’s wings burning upon his. 

“Now, you two, it’s well known what two forces you both control. Fairly obvious, in fact, that you’re utter opposites.” Burnie began, his tone somehow casual in spite of his formal words. In another world Ryan would have guessed that Burnie would speak a lot more at ease, even a bit laid back, though in this realm it wasn’t a truth meant to be. “And it’s… come to my attention, my Stars, that the mortals are slowly ruining themselves.” He continued, his deep, flashing gaze hooking onto the scenery before them. Bouts of rose and cream colored clouds churned beneath the balcony, glimmering waterfalls seeming to erupt from nowhere as birds with feathers brighter than suns and darker than night floated about, their voices chasing into the vast sky like lyres. Into the horizon was the large, golden sun that ladled into the backdrop of clouds and plum sky, smatterings of thousands of stars and brushes of violets and sky blues falling into their chaotic order. For obvious reasons this reminded Ryan of Gavin, the mosaic-like structure of it all at close kin to the perfection of Gavin’s beauty. The thought, though, was ruptured as Ryan fully took on what Burnie was saying, the way Burnie’s eyes suddenly clouded not unnoticed. “They’ve gone back to ancient days, hence why we’re thriving in their modern worship. Hence why we’re even here, my Stars. Back when this was the norm there were other Gods, other deities they chose to relieve their sins and blessings onto, and we’ve only just been born. With their dying spirits, they… they brought all of this to us and I-I.. I have to take it away.” Burnie continued, his head dropping low as his hands gripped tight at the marble railing, the clouds beneath them suddenly darkening to shades of scarlet hues. Ryan immediately straightened at the information, the brush of Gavin’s wings now no longer a simple touch signaling that the other God had much of the same reaction. 

“Wait, take what away? And for what reason, they’re-they’re doing just fine! Sure, they’re not perfect but they try so hard, my King-” Ryan began to protest, eyes fixated on the bent immortal beside him before Burnie suddenly straightened, eyes harsh and vulnerable. 

“Listen! Listen, my Stars. I know that this is something much more than I should ever ask of you, but it’s necessary beyond what you think. I know this. I’ve watched them since they first brought me into my entity and I’ve seen them rise and fall like the tides. I’ve seen their failures, their victories, their wars, their secrets. Nothing goes past me, when it comes to them, and because of this I.. I know that their greatest failure is dawning upon them. A war will come to them- greater and more bloody than they’ve ever recorded in their books, my Stars, and I-I can’t let that happen. I have to destroy them before they destroy themselves. I can’t let them suffer like that, no. Not after what they’ve given me. Us. My friends.” Burnie’s tone carried low like thunder and static, the gloss of tears streaking down his face and Ryan immediately turned away, pushing from the railing and standing in the middle of the balcony. Destroy the human race? Destroy them?! For what?! Why not help them in their war, why not.. why not do something else rather than kill them before the problem even starts?!

“What role do we even have in this, Burnie? Shouldn’t you of all the Gods deal with something like this?” Gavin’s voice suddenly permeated the tension, covering it like liquid mercury and cooling over. Ryan turned at this, gauging Burnie’s reaction before the God suddenly fell to his knees and let out a broken, sorrowful sob, his pure white wings hanging like a suddenly not-so pure canopy above his shaking body. 

“I-I’m not strong, my Stars! I’m not, Oh, Heavens, I’m not! I’ve never been stronger than any of you a-and I…” Burnie exclaimed, the sunlight having long since been faded from the sky, the stars suddenly rippling in the torrent of dark blue as Burnie gasped lightly and scrambled to his feet, moving towards Gavin and using his powers to force Ryan over. Either hand set on Ryan and Gavin’s face, his gaze so… human, in the sense of the emotion that lay in them, raw and exposed like a nerve. “I-I’m asking so much of you, my Loves. Oh, revel in my weakness, please, my Stars! I’m a coward, a sick, shamely coward that can’t-”

“Just tell us, my King.” Gavin interrupted, his gaze and tone cool as Burnie’s intense, vulnerable stare fell before meeting Ryan’s and Gavin’s once more. Silence passed like waves over the three of them, Burnie’s fingers brushing slowly over their jaws before falling, hanging limp at his side before he brought his wings to his back. 

“I want you to kill them for me, Ryan. And Gavin, you’re to collect their souls- store them away because I-I want- no, NEED, you two to create the human spirit once more. Build it anew as the other Gods create a new earth, a new haven for them to start again.” Burnie sighed, both Ryan and Gavin immediately recoiling from their proximity to the king. KILL them?! All of them?! And putting that sort of request upon Gavin- COLLECTING souls and STORING them?! 

“That’s outrageous! Not only will we be killing billions but we’ll be killing Gods, too! Some of them rely more on human worship than others, you know. And in the human’s rawest form they can’t worship.” Gavin retorted, venom dousing his words as his blue wings arced in defiance from beside Ryan, the two suddenly close at side though Ryan was too caught in his thoughts to take notice. 

“I know that, my Stars, I know. You’re going to have to make sacrifices and I understand that-” Burnie began but Ryan suddenly stepped forward, the clouds suddenly ashen gray, lightning in a turmoil among the thick wisps. 

“No! You don’t! If you even had the slightest bit of understanding of what you’re asking you wouldn’t asking at all, you pitiful excuse for a ruler!” Ryan spat, Burnie’s features falling into pained sorrow as his mouth fluttered for a response. 

“I have, to, my Stars, you don’t-”

“We are NOT your stars! Not yours, anyway. If anything could ever belong to you it would simply be raw cowardice, as that’s the ONLY thing or force or even power that you’d EVER embody!” Ryan cut in, stepping closer with his wings stretched wide, the ebony black swirling with pure rage as thunder began to rumble low in the clouds building about the balcony. Burnie let out a strangled gasp, genuine pain flashing in his eyes. Nothing but pure rage was filling Ryan’s mind, every single flicker of Burnie’s gaze only driving him more and more over the edge before his hands suddenly went up to dig into Burnie’s neck and jaw, eliciting a sharp cry of nothing but raw emotion as the so-called King fell to his knees before Ryan. Shock barely had time to register in Ryan’s mind before a sudden rush of cool breezes and the glint of silver and blue washed over him, invading his senses in every direction as the gentle glide of Gavin’s wings covered Ryan’s. The clouds immediately died down in their frenzy, his rage slowly ebbing away as his fingers abandoned their grip on Burnie. Ryan straightened his posture from domineering over the other God, his gaze finding Gavin’s from beside him. The other God didn’t look at him but rather at Burnie, pity, harshness, and betrayal defined in his crystal blue optics. 

“I don’t want to hurt him, Ryan. He doesn’t deserve physical pain just the same as he deserves forgiveness. He deserves other kinds.” Gavin spoke quietly, his tone low and somewhat frighteningly stable as he slowly drew back in his wings once he was reassured that Ryan was calm. “We’ll give him what he asks for.”

“Wait, what?! Gavin, you-”

“What he asks for, Ryan, is otherwise simple. You’ll kill, I’ll collect. But those souls will NOT be stored to be in any supply of reference for us to build off of. Those souls will instead be used to fuel the more dependent Gods for however long they last, and we’ll build the new souls entirely from scratch. Entirely.” Gavin explained, glaring harshly at Burnie who the two knew full and well had wanted the opposite of what Gavin had said. Burnie wanted to be able to rule from a side-line- to have his worshipers with restrained free will. But apparently that wasn’t going to happen, and Ryan had no problem with that. “A new race, Burnie, that will only be created by us. They have total free will to do as they please on their new Eden- whether to find us in the carvings of the world around them and worship us or not to. Either way we’ll live separately from them- instead we’ll simply worship one another and the cosmos about us.” 

“You-You can’t.. They’re just children, Gavin! They have no sense of direction, no self government, only slivers of instinct! They’ll never survive on their-” Burnie began to protest, dragging himself to his feet before Gavin suddenly stepped forward, rage engraved in every line and curve and angle of his face and eyes. 

“You mean _you’ll_ never survive.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it was gonna be mad king but then i was like nahhh. hopefully whoever's reading this likes this god damn trash. idk. and lmao my computer wants to correct 'burnie' to 'bernisher'


	3. in those shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the gay and cheesiness is real in this chapter, just saying. idk why i'm writing this shit still. anyway, freewood

Gavin and Ryan had left Burnie there on the balcony, a breeze smelling of rain and lightning passing as they vanished behind the sheer curtains. As Ryan trailed behind Gavin he noticed the subtle fault of movement in his wings- the crease that slowly curled the two then indigo-colored appendages about himself, though only slightly. Like he was trying to deny whatever emotion that was dawning upon him, which Ryan could relate to. But because he knew how it felt he matched his pace to Gavin’s, staying silent at first, gaze scanning over the other God before he spoke up. 

“Listen, Gavin, we-um.. We really need to talk about this. Go over it. Make some kind of plan because it’s-..” Ryan stopped when Gavin paused in his stride, his darkened gaze flashing about the room that was now painted in gray shadows. It was only when a sliver of faint moonlight caught his eyes did Ryan notice the gleam of oncoming tears. Immediately he wanted to surge forward, to take him up in his arms and fold his wings around him- to shield him from every harm or worry that he could ever think to burden himself with. Which Ryan knew he often did. Though Gavin seemed almost constantly caught in fits of burning passion and euphoria Ryan knew better, from being so interconnected with the other God. He knew that Gavin blamed himself for granting the blessing of breath upon a child that he knew would be torn away once he arrived to his sixth birthday party. He knew Gavin cried over the birth of a child that would only be welcomed by an absent father and a mother that cared about nothing but herself, and that the child would spend its whole life blaming itself. He felt responsible for those misfortunes and fates that carried upon every being’s shoulders, when it wasn’t his fault at all. He was the God who brought upon life and the joy of hearts and souls- who made it possible for a spirit to find another and itself in the hectic world it called home. Ryan tried to ignore the sudden onslaught of pain that the thoughts brung him, his own guilt and loathing creeping its way up his skull as he made a fit beneath his foremost emotions to keep it at bay, his focus settling back upon Gavin.  
“I-I know, Ryan, I know. I’m sorry that I went ahead and made that decision. I shouldn’t have just assumed-” Gavin’s voice was shaking and cracking at the seams- much like the sound of an old tree slowly falling to the ashen ground as it was consumed by hungry flames. Without thought or hesitation Ryan stepped forward, his hands gently cradling Gavin’s face- his brows furrowing as the other God made no move to step away but simply leaned his cheek upon Ryan’s palm, breathing out shakily like soft winds through ancient trees. 

“Don’t say that, Gavin, it was right of you to make that decision. And don’t blame yourself for any of it, when it comes time to.. to take it away, alright? I know you’ve already so much guilt and blame on your shoulders already.” Ryan replied, Gavin’s darkened gaze flashing before slowly coming to meet Ryan’s, shock and something resembling discovery in his eyes. 

“Y-You know about-” 

“There’s a reason why the mortals associate us two so closely. It’s fairly obvious, how much blame you put on yourself though none of it is rightfully yours.” Ryan cut in, though not with rude intentions, simply to quiet the painfully shocked question that he knew would flood from Gavin’s lips. The said God let out a quiet gasp, his own hands coming up to lightly graze over Ryan’s, the tips of his wings slowly arching out to brush over Ryan’s. Pain was clear in his gaze, the color of his irises a faded, scratched silver that slowly faded into the hues of the ocean, understanding barely scraping the horizon of the infinite colors that lay there. Ryan stood silent, waiting for a reply before Gavin closed the distance between them, planting a small kiss upon his lips before he wrapped his arms around Ryan’s neck, laying his head on his shoulder. Ryan’s wings had taken up dominance over Gavin’s, the ebony black carding over the slowly lowering blue until a canopy of day and night hung over them. In that moment Ryan felt overwhelmingly pure and cleansed, the guilt rising off of him and floating about his head, not exactly touching but not leaving, either. Instead only the feel of Gavin’s weight in his arms that had moved to enclose his waist burned in his mind, his thoughts orbiting like a halo over the utterly glamoured idea of Gavin, who wasn’t just beauty. Who wasn’t just life or gentleness or foolishness. He was every contradiction of the words that so often described him in passing conversations- brave, flawed, mourning, regret, guilt. He was all of those things and more, opposing words also applying to his being though no one cared enough to think about it. No one stood around long enough or no one wanted to believe such a thing, that life be more than an answer but rather a question, as well. 

“Thank you, Ryan.” Gavin murmured before pulling away, wings still pressed against one another. 

“For what?”

“I dunno. Just.. stuff, I guess.” Gavin replied, suddenly melting back into his excited, burning self- a small grin playing on his glowing features. Ryan let out a small chuckle as he raised a brow, drawing his wings back and tucking them back in as he adjusted his weight upon his feet. 

“Well, anyhow, if we’re going to be putting this ‘plan’ into action we need to talk about it. See what the other gods think.” Ryan strayed from the topic, reminding Gavin of the impending problem as he began to walk towards the exit. Gavin followed close, his mouth forming a small ‘O’ as he nodded. 

“You could come over to my home for the night ‘n we can talk about it. ‘S that okay?” Ryan’s heart fluttered in his chest at the suggestion but he nodded regardless, silence passing between them before they stopped in front of the exit. “D’you reckon we’ll have to fight other Gods? Y’know… physically?” Gavin asked, his voice somewhat resembling a curious child’s as Ryan shook his head, letting out a large sigh as he pulled the door open.  


“Without a doubt.”


End file.
